The present invention relates to a novel salad dressing emulsion of high stability and having a long shelf life.
Salad dressings composed of the basic oil and vinegar ingredients have been formed with many additional ingredients for the purpose of increasing stability, shelf life, and the like. Unfortunately, many dressings of this type use preservatives and heating or cooling steps in the preparation. Unfortunately, these additional components and the process of heating or cooling change the flavor or taste of the finished salad dressing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,856 shows a method for preparing an edible suspension product in which a buffering agent is used to elevate its pH. Heating steps are also applied with the addition of solid material to prevent coagulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,029 shows a salad dressing of a vinaigrette type. Stability is attained in such salad dressing by adding additional solid fat to the continuous oil phase, preferably hardened grapeseed oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,663 shows a pourable salad dressing composition containing Xanthin gum and pectin as stabilizers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,338 teaches a multi-step process for making an oil and vinegar salad dressing in which oil and vinegar are mixed with spices and herbs, as well as a preservative. The mixture is also heated and cooled prior to storage.
A salad dressing emulsion having an unusual stability and an acceptable shelf life without the use of heating or cooling steps and without the addition of preservatives would be a notable advance in the food preparation industry.
In accordance with the present invention a novel and useful salad dressing emulsion is herein provided.
The emulsion of the present invention utilizes a continuous oil phase and a dispersed acidic aqueous phase. For example the continuous oil phase may include olive oil, sunflower oil, or other oils commonly used with salad dressings. The dispersed acidic aqueous phase may be a vinegar. In the normal combination of these two elements the continuous oil phase and the dispersed aqueous phase breaks within a short period of time, normally in less than an hour. Such breaking requires the user to agitate or mix the components prior to use. Unfortunately, such breakage of the emulsion also detracts from the flavor, since the esters deriving from the added herbs and spices are more apt to be lost if such salad dressing emulsion breaks.
The present salad dressing emulsion includes the addition of a sufficient amount of divided solid curd to the emulsion of the oil phase and the dispersed acid aqueous phase. The divided solid curd material suspends in the emulsion and maintains the dispersion of the acidic aqueous phase within the acidic aqueous phase. The solid curd suspended in the solid emulsion is also believed to be capable of absorbing certain quantities of both the oil phase and the acidic aqueous phase in this regard. In most cases, the amount of divided solid curd in the suspension constitutes a saturated suspension.
The continuous oil phase may range between 50 and 80 percent by weight of the total emulsion. Likewise, the dispersed acidic phase may range between 15 and 30 percent of the total weight of the emulsion. Finally, the divided solid curd phase may range between 5 and 20 percent by weight of the total weight of the emulsion. Preferably, the salad dressing emulsion of the present invention may have a total weight of 5 parts, three parts of which are the continuous oil phase, one part of which is the dispersed acidic aqueous phase, and one part of which is the divided solid curd suspended in the emulsion.
The divided solid curd portion may comprise well known cheeses such as parmesan, mozzarella, and the like. In addition, flavor components such as herbs and spices may be added from trace amounts to approximately five percent of the total weight of the emulsion. No heating, cooling, or adding of preservatives is required to produce the salad dressing emulsion of the present invention.
It may be apparent that a novel and useful salad dressing has been herein above described it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a salad dressing emulsion which is relatively simple to manufacture and exhibits an acceptable shelf life and stability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a salad dressing emulsion which exhibits extremely good taste and maintains such flavor characteristics for a long period of time.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a salad dressing emulsion which is stable and retains the flavor imparted by herbs and spices added to the emulsion.
The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues.